


Old Friends

by lullabelle_moon



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, Old Friends, Pining, bad santa jokes, it gets fluffy, not really angst but a little bit, prompt, sorry Sandy, we all need a happy ending after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 07:08:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4597443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lullabelle_moon/pseuds/lullabelle_moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a prompt: Adam is getting fed up of Aaron pining over Robert so he calls in an old friend to come and help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Friends

Adam drained his beer,  
"Will you cheer up?"  
Aaron looked over at him,  
"What?"  
Adam cupped his jaw,  
"Smile. Smi-i-i-le."  
Aaron batted his hand away,  
"Get off me."  
He sat back,  
"I'm fine."  
Adam scoffed,  
"Yeah clearly, mate."  
Aaron looked at him then forced a smile,  
"See?"  
Adam laughed,  
"That's not terrifying."  
Aaron pushed his arm,  
"Shut up."  
Adam sighed,  
"Is it still Sugden? Come on mate, it’s been six months.”  
Aaron rolled his eyes,  
"See you in the morning yeah?"  
Adam frowned,  
"Hey-where are you-?"  
Aaron had already left; heading out back, running upstairs to his room and collapsing on the bed as Adam was left in the bar.

"Hi...I don't know if you remember me...I'm a friend of Aaron. Livesy."  
"No shit. Huh...how is he?"  
"Well...I was wondering how you'd feel coming down to The Woolpack? Maybe having a catch up with him? I really think it'd help him."  
"Uhhh....yeah I mean...sure. When?"  
"When are you free?"  
"Tomorrow? Maybe...let me check. Yeah tomorrow."  
"Alright, awesome. About 7?"  
"Yeah. Cool. See you then."  
"Bye."  
"See ya."

Aaron sighed; he didn't want to be sitting in the pub but Adam insisted, the fact that Robert was sitting in the corner sulking into his pint wasn't helping matters. He glanced over a few times and found himself sneering bitterly as he was sure Robert was sulking about Chrissie again. He was sure that they were over but the way Robert was acting reminded him too much of all the times the man had fought to get her back. He had no idea that Robert was sulking because he had spent every night in the pub and Aaron hadn’t spoken to him once. Aaron muttered angrily to himself and sipped his beer; frustration making his chest hurt.  
"Oi. Got a surprise for you."  
Aaron sighed,  
"Have you?"  
Adam looked up and nodded at someone; Aaron turned his head and froze at the sight of Flynn walking over,  
"Oh my god."  
He got up and hugged the man,  
"What are doing here?"  
Flynn shrugged,  
"Figured you might need a mate, you alright Adam?"  
Adam shook his hand,  
"Cheers for coming. I'll see you guys later."  
Aaron was staring at Flynn in shock and the man laughed,  
"I know I'm handsome but have you got to stare?”  
Aaron laughed,  
"Yeah, yeah sorry, just...can't believe you're here."  
Flynn smiled,  
"Well...you gonna get me a drink or what?"  
"Oh yeah. Sit. I'll get them in."  
He headed over to the bar; unable to stop the smile on his face. He didn't notice Robert looking over at him as he waited for his beers.

"Come on then. Spill."  
Aaron frowned,  
"What?"  
Flynn handed Aaron the beer he’d just bought and sat down,  
"You’ve caught up on my life and it’s not that interesting…plus your face is telling me that something is wrong. So go on, what have I missed? Cos the last I heard you were off to France.”  
Aaron sipped his beer,  
“Yeah…yeah lived out there for a while. Came back about a year ago. How did you know?”  
Flynn shrugged,  
“The gay community is a tight knit one.”  
Aaron frowned,  
“Eh?”  
Flynn chuckled,  
“Adam caught me up. Said some stuff had happened since you came back that you might need some advice on. Said he was fed up of your sulking. So go on. Spill.”  
Aaron bit his lip and shook his head,  
"Ah...I've uh..."  
Flynn sat forward,  
"It's not like last time is it?"  
Aaron looked at him,  
"No...No it's not like last time."  
Flynn sat back and picked his beer up,  
"Go on then. I'm all ears."  
Aaron sat back and rested his hands in his stomach,  
"I've been having an affair...with a married man. For nearly a year."  
Flynn's eyebrows shot up,  
"Well...good on ya. Who? Got a picture?"  
Aaron sighed and rubbed his forehead,  
"Don't need a picture he's over there."  
Flynn looked around and frowned,  
"Jesus Aaron..."  
He chuckled,  
"Was it the older man thing? Or the beard?"  
Aaron followed his eye to see Sandy sitting in the corner and grinned,  
"Oh yeah, it's that Santa fetish. Can't seem to kick it."  
Flynn cocked an eyebrow and lifted his beer to Aaron,  
"Bet he's got more than a lump of coal in his sack for you."  
Aaron groaned then laughed,  
"That was foul."  
Flynn laughed,  
"Yeah, felt wrong when I said it."  
"You've ruined Christmas for me."  
Flynn laughed again; making Aaron crack up and laugh as well. Robert glanced up across the bar and Aaron caught his eye for a moment before looking away.  
"So really, who is it?"  
Aaron sighed,  
"Sitting at the bar. Sulking into his pint. Again."  
Flynn turned and looked at Robert then looked back,  
"Damn. Good job."  
Aaron huffed a laugh,  
"Yeah."  
Flynn sat back,  
"So what happened?"  
Every event that happened between meeting Robert and standing in front of Chrissie telling her everything quickly flashed in Aaron’s mind. He looked away and shrugged,  
"Guys an arsehole."  
Flynn drained his beer,  
"Mmhmm...And that's why you carried it on for so long."  
Aaron frowned,  
"It wasn't that long."  
Flynn shook his head,  
"Whatever. You love him?"  
Aaron looked at the man,  
"I don't...what's that got to do with anything?"  
Flynn leant forward,  
"Well it's pretty obvious that you do so..."  
Aaron shifted,  
"It's in the past. It's done. He doesn't care about me anymore anyway."  
Flynn looked at him,  
"Mmm that's why he's still looking over at us."  
Aaron frowned,  
"No he's not."  
Flynn moved closer,  
"You want him back?"  
Aaron hesitated,  
"No."  
Flynn smiled,  
"Wanna make him jealous?"  
"He's not gonna care."  
Flynn moved closer again,  
"Follow my lead."  
He leant in,  
"What are you doing?"  
Flynn glanced down at his lips,  
"Trust me."  
He leant in and kissed Aaron gently; running his hand up the man’s arm as he deepened it. Aaron sank into the kiss; pressing his hand against Flynn's warm chest and opening his mouth to let him push his tongue against his own. After a few moments Flynn pulled away slowly,  
"You know I've wanted to do that for a while now?"  
Aaron smiled gently and fiddled with a button on Flynn's shirt.  
"Yeah?"  
Flynn nodded,  
"It worked."  
Aaron frowned,  
"What?"  
Flynn pulled away and nodded over the bar where Roberts seat was empty,  
"He's gone."  
Aaron frowned,  
"Oh...yeah."  
Flynn sighed,  
"Go on then. Go get him."  
Aaron chewed his lip,  
"I can't...it's complicated."  
Flynn frowned,  
"I just gave you a hell of a kiss to make him jealous and you won't even go after him?"  
Aaron rubbed his face,  
"You don't understand-"  
"I understand that you love him, that you want to go get him. Hell if you don't then I will. He's bloody gorgeous."  
Aaron laughed,  
"It's just-"  
"So help me god Aaron if you say it's complicated I will match you out there myself."  
Aaron nodded,  
"You want him don't you?"  
Aaron sighed,  
"Yeah I do. Shit...yeah I really do."  
Flynn held his hands up,  
"Go. My work here is done."  
Aaron laughed and stood up, he walked around the table and kissed Flynn's head,  
"Keep my number yeah?"  
Flynn grinned,  
"As long as my boyfriend doesn't mind."  
Aaron frowned,  
"Thought you said you guys had broken up?”  
"Aaron so help me god go. Go now."  
Aaron took a breath and headed outside.

Robert clenched his jaw and stared up the sky; his eyes blurring as the jealousy burned in his chest. He blinked a tear down his cheek and wrapped his arms around himself,  
"Rob?"  
He started and stood straight, wiping his face quickly as Aaron walked toward him,  
"What?"  
Aaron shoved his hands in his pockets,  
"Are you alright?"  
Robert scoffed,  
"What do you care?"  
Aaron frowned,  
"Just asking. Calm down."  
Robert shook his head,  
"Go back to your little boyfriend."  
Aaron looked at him, feeling stupid for coming out.  
"Fine. Whatever."  
He started to leave when Robert called after him,  
"Aaron?"  
Aaron turned around,  
"What?"  
Robert shrugged,  
"I'm sorry."  
Aaron sighed and walked back to over to him,  
"He's not my boyfriend. He's a mate. An old mate. That's all."  
Robert glanced away,  
"Kiss all your mates do you?"  
"Do you?"  
Robert frowned,  
"So he's not your boyfriend then?"  
Aaron sighed,  
"Why? You jealous?"  
"Yes."  
Aaron started,  
"Shit. Really?"  
Robert shrugged again,  
"Didn't think I would be. But I am. Is it a problem?"  
Aaron watched him,  
"You...actually want me to answer that?"  
Robert huffed,  
"I miss you. Alright? I screwed it up and I want you back."  
"You...want me back?"  
Robert rubbed his face,  
"Fuck...I must be drunk."  
Aaron frowned,  
"No you're not. You've had one."  
Robert looked at him,  
"Tell me there's still something. Anything in there that could mean you have feelings for me."  
Aaron looked at him,  
"Yeah. Course there is. But-"  
Robert walked up to him; cupping his face and pushing him back against the wall,  
"I-I love you. I love you."  
Aaron gripped Roberts wrists,  
"Still told everyone I was a mistake though did you?"  
Robert winced,  
"I'm sorry. So sorry."  
He lowered his hands and gripped Aaron's shirt,  
"Still tried to kill me."  
His voice cracked as he said the words and Robert sniffed; more tears falling down his cheeks.  
"I'm sorry Aaron. I..."  
He shook his head,  
"I've fucked everything up. You...were the best...thing. And I...am so sorry."  
Aaron looked at the man, he could hear Flynn's voice in his head telling him to do it and before he knew it he was giving in; pulling Robert in and kissing him, turning them both around and pushing Robert up against the wall,  
"Tell me it's over with her."  
Robert nodded,  
"It's over."  
Aaron gripped his shirt,  
"Tell me you love me."  
"I love you. I love you."  
Aaron nodded,  
"Tell me you want me. Just me. Properly."  
Robert cupped his face and pushed their heads together,  
"I want you. I just want you. Always."  
Aaron looked him in the eye,  
"You better not be lying to me."  
Robert shook his head,  
"I'm not. I'm not I promise."  
Aaron nodded again,  
"No more secrets."  
Robert shook his head then stopped,  
"Maybe one."  
Aaron frowned,  
"What?"  
Robert bit his lip,  
"I really wanna punch that guy for kissing you."  
Aaron rolled his eyes and pressed another kiss to his lips.  
"You're mine now. Right?"  
Robert nodded,  
"I'm yours."  
Aaron pulled away and held his hand out,  
"Come on then. You can buy me a drink."  
Robert couldn't stop the smile as he took Aaron's hand and walked back into the pub with him.


End file.
